Spring 2006 | Course Guide

One of the Seven Species (Shivat HaMinim)

Olive, Marcia Borland, 2005

Seven SpeciesShivat HaMinim

“F or the Lord your God will bring you into a good land,

a land of brooks of water, of fountainsand depths, springing forth in valleysand hills; a land of wheat and barley,and vines and fig-trees and pomegran-ates; a land of olive-trees and honey…And you shall eat and be full and youshall bless the Lord God for the goodland he has given you.”

–Deuteronomy 8:7-10

The seven kinds of produce listed in Deuteronomy 8:8are commonly referred to as the Seven Species orShivat HaMinim. They are considered archetypalproducts of the Land of Israel, and they are particularlyinvoked during the holiday of Tu B’Shvat, the NewYear for the Trees (this year, February 13), and onShavuot, when the first fruits of the harvest, calledbikkurim, were offered in the Temple in Jerusalem.Bikkurim were offered only from among these Seven Species.

All seven varieties have one thing in common: their main growing or flowering season is between the holidays of Passover and Shavuot. Thus, the fate of these crops is determined between Passover andShavuot. Too much rain or not enough, too much sun or not enough, and too much wind or notenough, could destroy each of these crops.

The theme of this Course Guide is the Seven Species,or Shivat HaMinim. Discover the different layers ofmeaning in these fruits as you read quotations abouteach species from both Jewish and general sources.The artwork featured here was created by artists who attend the Artists’ Beit Midrash. Enjoy!

wheat

“Rabbi Haninaben Pazzi said:Thorns need not be hoed nor sown—they sprout on theirown, rise straightup, and grow. Butwheat—how muchpain, how muchlabor is neededbefore it can bemade to grow!”

– Genesis Rabbah, 45:4

SKIRBALL 2006 | 1the bookThe Jewish-Arab Relationship in Modern Israeli Literature and FilmThe Leon Finley Course in Jewish StudiesREUBEN NAMDARMonday 6:30–8:00 PM: Feb 6, 13, 27 Mar 6, 20, 27 Apr 3, 10

The Jewish-Arab conflict affects not only Israel’s politics, butalso its culture. Israeli writers and filmmakers, Jewish andArab alike, explore the complexity of this relationship,highlighting the attraction as well as the repulsion, the animosity as well as the compassion. Acquaint yourself withthe writings of Amos Oz, A.B. Yehoshua, Anton Shamas, andothers. View films such as Raffi Bukai’s masterpiece AvantiPoplo. Gain a deeper understanding of the complicated,often tragic, encounter between these two cultures.

Prophets, Princesses, Villains, and Kings:Reading the Bible as LiteratureREUBEN NAMDARMonday 8:15–9:45 PM: Feb 6, 13, 27 Mar 6, 20, 27 Apr 3, 10

The books of Samuel and Kings are, for various reasons,lesser known to the Jewish-American reader than otherparts of the Bible. They contain superbly dramatic, psycho-logically nuanced, and artistically masterful tales. These arestories of jealousy and piety, heroism and cruelty, lust andgreed. Meet some of the most powerful characters in theBible: the somber prophet Samuel, the tragic king Saul andhis offspring—prince Jonathan and princess Michal—andthe mercurial robber, lover, musician, and poet-turned-king,David. Explore the dark and complex relationships betweenthe mythological ancestors of ancient Israel and savor therich language, lush textual fabric, and psychological insightof these epic tales.

Sarah, Hagar, Abraham: Things Fall ApartWENDY AMSELLEMThe Harrison S. Kravis Course in Jewish StudiesTuesday 6:30–8:00 PM: Feb 7, 14, 21, 28 Mar 7, 21, 28 Apr 4

As she enters her late seventies and is still childless, Sarahdecides to take matters into her own hands and marries hermaidservant Hagar to her husband Abraham. What wereSarah’s, Hagar’s, and Abraham’s hopes for this union? Wheredo things go wrong? What implications might this story havefor later relationships between Arabs and Jews? StudyGenesis chapters 16 through 21 as well as the history of rabbinic interpretation of this story.

wheat

“The man whosows wrongthoughts anddeeds, and praysthat God will blesshim, is in the posi-tion of a farmerwho, having sowntares [weeds], asksGod to bring forthfor him a harvestof wheat. He whowould be blest, let him scatterblessings. He whowould be happy,let him considerthe happiness ofothers.”

– James Allan, Above Life’s Turmoil

Wheat, Rochelle Spergel,2005

2 | SPRING COURSES the book continued

Joseph and His Brothers: O Brother, Where Art Thou?WENDY AMSELLEMTuesday 8:15–9:45 PM: Feb 7, 14, 21, 28 Mar 7, 21, 28 Apr 4

Although Joseph begins his life as the favorite child of awealthy father, he soon finds himself wrenched from hishome and sold as a slave in a foreign country. Why does this happen? How does he pull his life together and rise up through the ranks of Egyptian society? Study the Joseph narrative as it appears both in the Hebrew Bible and theKoran. Highlights include Joseph’s violent encounter withhis brothers, his amorous intrigue with his boss’s wife, andhis final emotional reconciliation with his family after atwenty-two year separation.

Rediscovering the Weekly Torah PortionARLENE AGUS�Wednesday 12:00–1:30 PM:

Feb 8, 15, 22 Mar 8, 15, 22, 29 Apr 5

Each week, in synagogues throughout the world, Jews readnot just a single section of the Torah, but the identical sec-tion of the Torah. This yearly cycle is both study and ritual,an ongoing immersion in the rhythm, wisdom, history, andtimeless foundation of Jewish civilization. Study the upcom-ing stories and themes of exodus and rebellion, the TenCommandments, the Levitical rites, and the ethical and legal precepts intended as cornerstones of a life of holiness.Applying creativity and imagination, use the weekly Torahportion as a focal point and springboard for connectingyour life to greater concepts and lessons. Through guidedstudy of diverse classical and contemporary commentaries,develop tools to read the weekly portion in depth.

Esther: The Book of HiddennessDR. FREEMA GOTTLIEB�Wednesday 1:45–3:15 PM:

Feb 8, 15, 22 Mar 8, 15, 22, 29 Apr 5

Why is the only book in the Bible where God’s name is notmentioned even once so cherished? In a tale of suspense andironic twists of intrigue and passion, an obedient orphan girlnamed Esther becomes a mature leader overnight, command-ing and charming the men around her to save her people fromgenocide. Discern the hidden realm of spirituality that allowsEsther to pare away her own ego and become the focus for the Divine Presence.With explanations from the Talmud,Midrash, Kabbalah, and Hasidic masters—and a fresh look intopoetry, drama, and art—discover why Esther, in her final role,stepped away from history to become an author of a story thathas been passed down through generations!

barley

“One day Naomiher mother-in-lawsaid to her, ‘Mydaughter, should I not try to find a home for you,where you will bewell provided for?Is not Boaz, withwhose servant girlsyou have been, akinsman of ours?Tonight he will bewinnowing barleyon the threshingfloor. Wash andperfume yourself,and put on yourbest clothes. Thengo down to thethreshing floor….’”

– Ruth 3:1-3

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heritageThe Jews and the Christians: A Parallel HistoryMARCIE LENKThe Hans A. Vogelstein Course in Jewish StudiesMonday 6:30–8:00 PM: Feb 6, 13, 27 Mar 6, 20, 27 Apr 3, 10

Trace the history of Jesus followers (later called Christians)and other Jews in the first centuries after Jesus’ death. Thiswas the time that both Christianity and Rabbinic Judaismdeveloped. How did Christianity move from a Jewish move-ment to a primarily gentile one? Who were the Rabbis?How did they respond to Jesus followers in their midst?Looking at texts from the New Testament, Josephus, theChurch Fathers, and the Talmud, as well as archaeologicaldiscoveries, follow the development of Early Christianityand Rabbinic Judaism, looking for points of contact anddivergence.

Jewish History and Jewish MemoryNOAM M. ELCOTTThe William Rosenwald and Ruth Israels Rosenwald Course in Contemporary Jewish HistoryTuesday 6:30–8:00 PM: Feb 7, 14, 21, 28 Mar 7, 21, 28 Apr 4

“Memory is constantly on our lips because it no longerexists.” So runs the provocative argument whereby the current memory boom—museums and memorials, memoirsand histories—is the last gasp of a society unable to trans-form history into living memory. In these debates, Jews,“the people of memory,” have emerged as a model for a world in mnemonic crisis. Explore the ever-changingfabric of memory and the current memory explosion, andthe place of Jews within them. Probe the many faces ofJewish memory, from Deuteronomy and the Haggadahthrough medieval rituals and modern memorials. Questionthe boundaries that separate fact and fiction, static archivesand living ceremonies, Jewish history and Jewish memory.

� INDICATES DAYTIME CLASS

barley

“On either side the river lie Long fields of barley and of rye,That clothe thewold and meet the sky;And thro’ the field the runs byTo many-tower’dCamelot.”

– Lord AlfredTennyson, The Ladyof Shalott

Barley, Alice Forman, 2005

4 | SPRING COURSES

ideasJewish Questions in Contemporary ArtNOAM M. ELCOTT� Tuesday 2:30–4:00 PM:

Feb 7, 14, 21, 28 Mar 7, 21, 28 Apr 4

The world of contemporary art is unsettling and strange.However, it is also among the most innovative and provocative realms of our culture. Get a foothold in currentart trends and discover how contemporary artists haveaddressed Jewish questions such as sacred space, Jewish identity, Israeli politics, ritual, and memory. Class time will be divided between galleries and museums, artists’studios, and the Skirball Center.

How Did It All Begin and How Will It End?: Creation and Eschatology,Science and ReligionDR. NEIL GILLMANThe Robert S. and Kimberly R. Kravis Course in Jewish StudiesTuesday 6:30–8:00 PM: Feb 7, 14, 21, 28 Mar 7, 21, 28 Apr 4

Human beings are inherently curious about beginnings and endings. That is why we spend considerable time andenergy expounding elaborate theories about how the worldgot started and how the world will end. Such theories havebecome an integral dimension of both science and religion,engendering fierce debates over the centuries and intoday’s headlines. Investigate some of those theories,what they have in common, how they differ, and why we even bother worrying about them at all.

Anthropology and the BibleRABBI REBECCA JOSEPHThursday 6:30–8:00 PM: Feb 9, 16, 23 Mar 9, 16, 23, 30 Apr 6

Think about the Bible in ways that help to better under-stand the society it represents and its culture. More than acentury of anthropological research demonstrates thatwhile religious beliefs and practices vary widely within thehuman family, all religions exhibit some common character-istics. Use anthropological concepts and cross-cultural comparisons to look at how the Bible poses and solvessome common human problems such as interpreting physi-cal appearance, forming families, and limiting interpersonalviolence.

vine (grapes)

“One who learnsfrom the young,who is he like? Likeone who eats dull[unripe] grapesand drinks winefrom the wine-press. And one who learns fromthe elderly, who is he like? Like onewho eats ripenedgrapes and drinksmature wine.”

– Ethics of theFathers, 4:20

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Exploring Jewish Prayer and Piety DR. DAVID KRAEMERThe Pincus Family Course in Jewish StudiesThursday 6:30–8:00 PM: Feb 9, 16, 23 Mar 9, 16, 23, 30 Apr 6

What does it mean to be “religious”? “Pious”? What is prayer,really? And what does all of this have to do with spirituality?Explore Jewish prayer and other pietistic practices and consider how they help us answer these questions. Piety isexpressed in a wide variety of ways, not just through prayer.Investigate the concepts and practice of sacrifice, praise,prayer, study, and meditation. Ask—always—how the Jewish way of doing these things relates to that of other religiouscommunities.

Jewish Ethical QuestionsDR. DAVID KRAEMERThursday 8:15–9:45 PM: Feb 9, 16, 23 Mar 9, 16, 23, 30 Apr 6

A religion that lives “in the world” has to address the ethicalquestions we all ask as our lives progress. A religion thattends to notice details—and speak in nuances—addressesthese questions in even greater complexity. This is the wayof Judaism: to ask the questions and admit that there areoften not easy answers. Explore the Jewish ways of “doingethics” but also address common ethical questions relatingto birth and death, money and charity, relationships andsexuality. You may not receive definitive answers but will bechallenged to develop your own Jewish ethical responses.

Custom and Tradition in Jewish Life: Why Jews Do the Things Jews DoDAVID WACHTELThursday 8:15–9:45 PM: Feb 9, 16, 23 Mar 9, 16, 23, 30 Apr 6

Why do we break a glass at a wedding? Why do we leave astone when we visit a cemetery? Why do we light candleson the Sabbath? Why do we cover the mirrors in a house of mourning? Why do we dip apples in honey on RoshHashanah? Although such customs are not Jewish law, for a wide variety of Jews, these customs help define what itmeans to be Jewish. Examine a variety of both ancient andmodern customs that have entered into Jewish practicefrom China to India, from Israel to the United States.

� INDICATES DAYTIME CLASS

vine (grapes)

“Men who have created new fruitsin the world cannotcreate a systemwhereby their fruitsmay be eaten. Andthe failure hangsover the State like a great sorrow….[A]nd in the eyesof the people there is the failure; andin the eyes of thehungry there is agrowing wrath. In the souls of thepeople the grapes of wrath are fillingand growing heavy,growing heavy forthe vintage.”

– John Steinbeck, The Grapes of Wrath

Grapes, Arlene Sokolow,2005

7 | FALL COURSES6 | SPRING COURSES lifeThe Jews of Iran: A Purim Persian Cooking ClassJENNIFER FELICIA ABADIThis course includes 1 lecture of one and a half hours and 3 cooking classes of two and a half hours.

Monday 6:30–8:00 PM (Lecture): Feb 6

Monday 6:30–9:00 PM (Cooking Classes): Feb 13, 27 Mar 6

In preparation for Purim, return to ancient Shushan andmeet the modern Iranian Jewish community. Learn aboutthe centrality of food to Purim and about the lives of Jewsfrom Iran, which is where the Purim story took place. Delveinto the traditional sweet and savory dishes prepared byIranian Jews, and then roll up your sleeves and make someof them. In two cooking classes, learn how to prepare twofull, multi-course Persian meals. In a third class, prepare various Middle Eastern Purim treats, including carrot halvah and date-stuffed pastries, and discover why they are specifically made for this holiday.

“A Night Different from All Other Nights”:A Passover Cooking ClassJENNIFER FELICIA ABADIThis course includes 1 lecture of one and a half hours and 2 cooking classes of two and a half hours.

Wednesday 6:30–8:00 PM (Lecture): Mar 22

Wednesday 6:30–9:00 PM (Cooking Classes): Mar 29 Apr 5

Tired of gefilte fish and brisket at your seders? In this class,learn the basics of Passover and how various Middle Easternand Sephardic cultures celebrate it. Discover the Moroccantradition of mimooneh, which celebrates the return to leavened food at Passover’s conclusion. Then, head to thekitchen where you will prepare and sample Morrocan,Syrian, and Libyan harosets, which represent the mortarused by the Jews in their labor in Egypt, as well as maincourses for the seder, including a Turkish layered matzah pieand Iraqi chicken with figs, tomatoes, and coriander. In thesecond cooking class, learn to prepare various couscousdishes, in addition to pastries and other sweets traditionallyeaten after Passover at the mimooneh celebration.

fig

“Whenever you go to the fig tree,you are likely tofind ripe fruit to eat. Similarly,whenever you go tothe Torah, you willfind nourishmentfor the spirit.”

– Babylonian Talmud,Eruvin 54a-b

SKIRBALL 2005 | 8SKIRBALL 2006 | 7

The Art and History of the Passover Haggadah: From Pharaoh’s House to Maxwell HouseDAVID WACHTELThe Jane Moyse Gilder Course in Jewish HistoryThursday 6:30–8:00 PM: Feb 9, 16, 23 Mar 9, 16, 23, 30 Apr 6

The Haggadah is the text used by Jews around the world to celebrate the holiday of Passover. Combining liturgy,images, music, and memories, the Passover Haggadah is anenduring fixture of Jewish culture that hearkens back to thevery origins of the Jewish people. Investigate the develop-ment of the Passover Haggadah, tracing its history acrossthe millennia from the days of Moses and the Exodus fromEgypt to the present day. Review some of the most interest-ing textual features of the Haggadah and learn about theunique imagery found in illustrated and illuminatedHaggadah manuscripts of the Middle Ages as well as thebeautiful printed haggadot of the last five centuries.Answer the question,“Mah nishtanah? How is the PassoverHaggadah different from all other Jewish books?”

Who studies at Skirball?Men and women. Reform Jews andOrthodox Jews, ConservativeJews, Reconstructionist Jews.

“I’m just a Jew” Jews. Non-Jews. Secular Jews.

Twenty-five year olds, eighty-five year olds.

Forty year olds and sixty year olds.

Straight Jews and gay Jews.

Atheists, theists, agnostics.

Manhattanites and Brooklynites.“I’m from Queens.” “The Bronx.”

“Jersey.” Israelis, Canadians, Germans,

Brits. Hebrew-speaking Jews,

Russian-speaking Jews,

Yiddish-speaking Jews. Seasoned learners.

“I haven’t…since my Bar Mitzvah!”

Jews who say: “I want to learn.”

fig

“O excellent! I love long life better than figs.”

– William Shakespeare, Antony and Cleopatra

Fig, Nicole Bigar, 2005

once a month on wednesday nights

8 | SPRING COURSES new program

A study experience designed for 30-

and 40-somethings

Engaging study.Discussion and debate.Dinner and conversation.

Join with other 30- and 40–somethingJewish New Yorkers for a meaningful and stimulating evening

7:00 PM Dinner8–9:00 PM Study and Discussion$100 for the series

Jan 25 Feb 22 March 29 April 26 May 10

themeWho Is a Jew? Identity, Biology, and Politics

facilitatorRabbi Leon A. Morris, director, Skirball Center

The nature and criteria of Jewish identity have changedthroughout time. Trace the development of Jewish law onthis issue from the Bible through our own day. Analyze theinterplay between biology and faith, how Jews definethemselves and are defined by others, conversion to andout of Judaism, and the phenomenon of “lost tribes”reclaiming their Jewishness. Ultimately, think about anddiscuss the ways that definitions of Jewish identity canimpact our own self-understanding of what it means to bea Jew.

pomegranate

“‘Did the pomegranates blossom yet?’[Song of Songs7:13]—this refers tothe young children who sit and learnTorah. They sit inrows like the seeds ofthe pomegranates.”

– Song of Songs Rabbah, 6:17

SKIRBALL 2005 | 10SKIRBALL 2006 | 9

cafeideasA weekly salon in a Jewish environment open to all voices.

Tuesdays at 8:00 PM

February 7, 14, 21, 28, March 7, 21, 28 April 4

Hungry for intellectual give-and-take in a relaxed setting?Then join us at the Ideas Café. Meet others over wine,cheese, fruit, and, of course, coffee at small, candle-lit tablesand discuss vital current issues that affect Jewish andAmerican life.

It’s a meeting of minds where spirited discussions move at a rapid pace—sometimes with very surprising results.

You’ll find our sessions provocative, stimulating, and fun—and, above all, a great intellectual experience. Dror Bikel,Rabbi Leon A. Morris, Daniel Septimus, and Roy Wassermanwill moderate the Ideas Café on alternating weeks.

Join us for a chance to meet new friends, share yourthoughts, and hear what others think about the issues thataffect us all. See you on Tuesday!

No reservations necessary. $10 per session atthe door. $5 for Skirball Center students.

Visit us online at www.ideascafe.org for specific information about each week’s topic.

pomegranate

“Or at times a modern volume,—Wordsworth’ssolemn-thoughtedidyl, Howitt’s ballad-dew, orTennyson’s enchanted reverie,—Or from Browningsome ‘Pomegranate,’which, if cut deepdown the middle,Shows a heart within blood-tinctured, of aveined humanity!”

– Elizabeth BarrettBrowning,Lady Geraldine’sCourtship

Pomegranate, Barbara Freedman, 2005

10 | SPRING COURSES

olive

“The Sages taught:‘Just as olive oilbrings light into the world, so do the people of Israelbring light into the world.’”

– Song of Songs Rabbah, 1:2

SeminarsSundays 10:00 AM–2:00 PMCoffee and bagels are served.

MARCH 19France and the Jews, France and the ArabsFRED ROSENBAUMThe third largest Jewish community in the world experi-enced a wave of anti-Semitic attacks beginning in 2000.What was the origin of this widespread Judeophobia inFrance and why has it ebbed in the past two years?Examine French anti-Semitism from the Dreyfus Affair tothe Holocaust, and then focus on the period since Charlesde Gaulle, in which the Arab world has loomed large in French foreign policy and the fast-growing Moslem minority has had a major impact on French politicsand society. How have French Jews responded

and what are their prospects in this environment?

APRIL 2The Haggadah: Its Structure and MessageRABBI LEON A. MORRISThe Haggadah is the most widely used Jewish text in contemporary Jewishlife, yet this rich and complex compendium of ancient sources eludes most of its readers. Explore a variety of central Jewish texts that form the basis of the Haggadah to better understand the seder’s ritual script in a way thatunderscores the physical and spiritual dimensions of freedom.

SUNDAY

Friends& Lovers(Re’im Ahuvim)RABBI LEON A. MORRIS

Wednesday 7:00–9:00 PM

February 8, 15 March 1, 8, 15, 22 April 5

You are getting married.Mazal tov!

But in planning a wedding that reflects who you are, the myriad symbols and rituals of Jewish tradition can seem baffling. This special course forengaged couples will allow you to find your own paththrough the vast array of Jewish traditions. Explore theoptions that Judaism offers an engaged couple so thatyou can make choices that speak to you. Familiarize yourselves with the components of the wedding ceremony itself, including music, ketubah (marriage contract),food, and other rituals. In addition,study stories oflove and relation-ships from Jewishsources, examine the psychodynamicand legal aspects of marriage, andallow us to help you prepare for thebig day and for theyears that follow.

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olive

“I like them all, but especially theolive. For what itsymbolizes, first ofall, peace with itsleaves and joy withits golden oil.”

–Aldous Huxley

Olive, Marcia Borland, 2005

A Course for Engaged Couples

12 | SPRING COURSES The Skirball Center’s…3-Year Certificate Program in Jewish Studies

6 semesters | 10 weeks each | 180 hours

Classes meet Wednesday evenings from 6:30–9:30 PM beginning Fall 2006

The IYUN program facilitates a serious andintense engagement with Jewish texts—biblical, rabbinic, and modern. Applying

methods of critical inquiry to in-depth study of primary sources, IYUN equips students with toolsfor lifelong learning. IYUN cultivates a community of learning in which students and faculty bringtheir life experience, secular knowledge, and criti-cal judgment to the exploration of traditional andcontemporary Jewish texts. By relating to Jewishtexts in their historical contexts and from a varietyof perspectives, students will learn to analyze,process, and selectively apply them to enrich theirJewish lives, relationships, and communities.

� Applications for IYUN’s third class will be available in June 2006.

� For more information about the application process, please visit www.adultjewishlearning.org/iyun

Iyun}

Made possible in part by a generous grant from UJA Federation of New York

date (honey)

“No part of the date palm is wasted: The fruit is eaten, theembryonic branches[lulav] are used forthe Four Species ofSukkot, the maturefronds can cover a sukah, the fibers between thebranches can makestrong ropes, theleaves can be woveninto mats and bas-kets, the trunks canbe used for rafters.

Similarly, no one isworthless in Israel:some are scholars,some do good deeds,and some work forsocial justice.”

– Numbers Rabbah, 3:1

SAVE THE DATEMAY 23–JUNE 4, 2006

Israel Study TripThe Heavenly and Earthly Jerusalem

Join Rabbi Leon A. Morris and noted educator Ophir Yardenfor a thoughtful and intellectually stimulating trip to Israel.Using the land of Israel as a context for our study, explore thetheme of “The Heavenly and Earthly Jerusalem” through bibli-cal, rabbinic, medieval, and modern texts.

We will begin our trip on Yom Yerushalayim (the anniversary ofthe reunification of Jerusalem in 1967) and conclude with thefestival of Shavuot, standing at the site where our ancestorsbrought their first fruits to the ancient Temple 2,000 years ago.

The trip includes:

� 9 nights at Prima Kings Hotel in Central Jerusalem� 2 nights at Kibbutz Hotel Nof Ginnosar on the

Sea of Galilee � Seminars, lectures, cultural events, and holiday celebrations� Two Shabbatot in Jerusalem with a variety of religious

and secular options

Cost

� $3,099 pp (double occupancy) including airfare, hotel,breakfast, most lunches and dinners, all transfers, deluxebus, and all fees and tips.

To reserve your place or to view a tentative itinerary, visit our website at www.adultjewishlearning.org/israel or call 212.507.9580

Get ready for your trip with…A Conversational Hebrew Crash-CourseMICHAL NACHMANYMonday, 6:30–8:00 pm: April 24, May 1, 8, 15

Open to Israel trip participants and others.The course fee is $110. To register,call 212.507.9580 or visitwww.adultjewishlearning.org/israel

SKIRBALL 2006 | 13

date (honey)

“It is the nature of the strong heart,that like the palmtree it strives everupwards when it ismost burdened.”

– Sir Philip Sidney

Date, Marilyn Bodek, 2005

Refund PolicyA full refund may be requested after the first class meeting or if a course is cancelled. After the second class, prorated credit (good for one year) for any course is available. No creditwill be given after the third class. The registration fee is non-refundable.

Getting ThereCourses at the Skirball Center are heldat 10 East 66th Street, between Fifthand Madison Avenues in Manhattan.

By Bus: M1, M2, M3, M4, M18, M66, M72

By Subway: N/R/W 5th Avenue Station4/5/6 59th Street Station

or 68th Street StationF 63rd Street Station

All classes take place at10 East 66th Street New York, NY 10021

Phone 212.507.9580Fax 212.570.0826www.adultjewishlearning.org

Library PrivilegesAll students enrolled in a SkirballCenter class will have borrowing privileges at the Ivan M. StettenheimLibrary, Congregation Emanu-El’s own expansive collection. For libraryinformation, call 212.744.1400, ext. 361.

The library is open:Sunday: 10–4; Monday: 10–6 Tuesday–Thursday: 10–6:30Friday: 10–2

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Sunday Monday Tuesday

CoursesAT A GLANCE

Recommendations for Beginners

Bible Courses

Rabbinic Texts

History Courses

Theology / Philosophy Courses

Literature Courses

Contemporary Issues

Daytime Courses

Evening Courses

14 | SPRING COURSES

The Skirball Center links liberal Jews to Jewish study that is relevant and meaningful. At Skirball, Jewish learning

is infused with excitement and depth, complexity,and diversity. Skirball enhances the search forwhat it means to be a human being and a Jew.

The Jewish Braille Institute can make it possible for any visually impaired or blindperson to participate in Adult Jewish Learning courses at the Skirball Center.Given reasonable lead time, JBI can prepare relevant reading materials in the appro-priate format. For more information or to volunteer in the JBI studios call TheJBI Library: 800.433.1531.

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) Skirball Center Rabbi Leon A. Morris, DirectorAdina Gerver, Assistant Director Judith Berdy, Administrator

Advisory CouncilDr. Steven BaymeRoger BennettDr. David GordisDr. Frances GottfriedDr. Alfred GottschalkDr. Lisa GrantCharles GrossmanMichelle Lynn-SachsDr. Kerry OlitzkyDr. David M. PosnerFred RosenbaumDr. Robert SeltzerBarry ShrageDr. Ronald B. SobelLeah StriglerMarcia Waxman

Wednesday Thursday

SKIRBALL 2006 | 15

ccdd123

new program

A NEW Hebrew language program

Designed for those who want to read the Bible and classic Jewish texts in the original!

LEVELS

For those who do not yet know the alphabet or how to read phonetically

For those who can read letters and vowels and are ready to learn grammar and vocabulary

For those who have some vocabulary and grammar and want to increase their fluency and understanding

January Intensive Mini-SemesterThis January, learn to read Hebrew…* Twice a week for one month.

An entire semester of Hebrew squeezed into one month!

COST: $190 To register for the January intensive mini-semester, please call 212.507.9580 or visit us online at www.adultjewishlearning.org

LEVEL 1 Hebrew MICHAL NACHMANYMonday + Wednesdays 6:00–7:30 PM: Jan 9, 11, 18, 23, 25, 30 Feb 1

LEVEL 2 Hebrew MICHAL NACHMANYMonday + Wednesdays 7:30–9:00 PM: Jan 9, 11, 18, 23, 25, 30 Feb 1

* if you already know how to read, begin to understand!

Spring SemesterLEVEL 2 Hebrew: Through the Haggadah

MICHAL NACHMANYMonday 6:30–8:00 PM: Feb 6, 13, 27 March 6, 20, 27 April 3, 10

For those who can read letters and vowels, apply that knowledge to theHaggadah while increasing your vobaculary and knowledge of grammar.

LEVEL 3 Hebrew: Through the HaggadahMICHAL NACHMANY AND RABBI LEON MORRISMonday 8:15–9:45 PM: Feb 6, 13, 27 March 6, 20, 27 April 3, 10

Read parts of the Passover Haggadah, explore its themes and deepermeanings, while delving into the many layers of the Hebrew language.No seder will be the same again!

tt16 | SPRING COURSES

cooperative learning communities

Combine dialogue and small group discussion in a unique approachto study and creative thought. Join communities of fellowship thatwill empower you to connect to the great texts and ideas of the

Jewish past while engaging in an intellectual and experiential journeythrough Bible, Talmud, medieval commentaries, Kabbalah, Hasidicthought, modern literature, and more.

ARTISTS’ BEIT MIDRASH

TOBI KAHN AND RABBI LEON A. MORRISMonday 7:00-9:00 PM:

February 6, 13, 27 March 6, 20, 27 April 3, 10

Apply your artistic talents to the theme of “The Universal and the Particular” as you exploreJewish sources and create new visual commen-taries to the ancient texts of our tradition.Together with other artists, share previously creat-ed work and explore, individually and as a group,the imaginative and creative possibilities of Jewishteachings. This unusual experience is co-facilitatedby a rabbi and a renowned artist whose own workblends modern art with the life of the spirit.

WRITERS’ BEIT MIDRASH

DANIEL SEPTIMUSWednesday 7:00-9:00 PM:

February 8, 15, 22 March 8, 15, 22, 29 April 5

Join a small group of fiction writers interested in a writing workshop that is geared towardengaging Jewish content and learning. This BeitMidrash is divided into three sections: text study,in which we will examine the theme of “TheUniversal and the Particular” in Jewish sources;the workshop, in which each student will receivecritique and support from a professional writerand fellow students; and three “Writers onWriting” sessions, in which visiting novelistsMelvin Jules Bukiet, Johanna Kaplan, and BinnieKirshenbaum will explore with you the waysthey negotiate the relationship betweenJudaism and writing. Interested applicants arerequired to submit a writing sample with theirregistration.

Each year, the Writers’ and Artists’Beit Midrash focuses on a particulartheme that is elucidated throughtext study and discussion and thatultimately finds expression in thecreative work of its participants.

This year’s theme is The Universaland the Particular. Though Jewishtradition has encouraged a specialrelationship with fellow Jews,responsibilities toward non-Jews are built into Jewish law. Explorethe dialectic between the universaland particular in Judaism. Whenhas one or the other been stressed?What is the correct balance betweenthe two? How has the globalizationand democratization of the modernworld influenced the way we thinkabout these questions?

These courses are made possible in part by a generous grant from Targum Shlishi, a Raquel and Aryeh Rubin Foundation.

VISITING NOVELISTS (Above right from left to right)Melvin Jules Bukiet, Johanna Kaplan,and Binnie Kirshenbaum

SKIRBALL 2006 | 17

One of the most distinctive elements

of the Skirball Center is itscore faculty. This creativeteam of talented anddynamic scholars works collaboratively to design the courses each semester. In addition to teachingcourses, the faculty plays an integral role in shaping the character of the program.

Adjunct FacultyJENNIFER FELICIA ABADI wrote and illustrated her cookbook-memoir, A Fistful of Lentils: Syrian-Jewish Recipes from Grandma Fritzie’s Kitchen, and is currently working on her second book,Writing Your Family Cookbook: A How-To-Guidefor Preserving Your Family’s Unique CulinaryHeritage. She caters for special occasions, bakes forKiva Café (in Tribeca), and created “The TravelingPalate,” a monthly dinner party where guests enjoya four-course meal while learning about less-com-mon cuisines and cultures in an intimate setting.

ARLENE AGUS is an executive consultant to Jewish family foundations. Her numerous works on Jewish theology and religious feminism include What Happens After I Die? and Jewish Women: New Perspectives.

DR. NEIL GILLMAN is Professor of Jewish Philosophy at the Jewish Theological Seminary. A world-renownedthinker and teacher, Neil is the author of several seminal books on Jewish theology, including SacredFragments: Recovering Theology for the Modern Jew.

DR. FREEMA GOTTLIEB, author of The Lamp of God: A Jewish Book of Light, Jewish Folk Art, and Mystical Stonescapes of Prague Jewish Town and Village Graveyards, is a freelance writer and teacher living in New York.

RABBI REBECCA JOSEPH was ordained at the Jewish Theological Seminary and holds a doctorate in Anthropology from the University of California,San Diego. She teaches and lectures widely on religion and culture.

WENDY AMSELLEM is a facultymember at the Drisha Instituteand an adjunct faculty member at City College of New York.She is currently pursuing a PhD

from NYU in Rabbinic Literature. Wendy is an alumna of the Drisha Scholar’s Circle and has a BA in History and Literature fromHarvard University.

NOAM M. ELCOTT is a contempo-rary art critic and a doctoral candidate in the history of modern art and culture atPrinceton University. Noam

spent two years in Berlin as a Fulbright scholar.He has written on Jewish and Holocaust artand memory, and has taught throughout theNew York metropolitan area on the intersec-tions of Judaism and contemporary culture.

DR. DAVID GREENSTEIN isRabbi-in-Residence at TheAcademy for Jewish Religion,where he teaches Rabbinics,Kabbalah, and Jewish Thought.

He also teaches at the Jewish TheologicalSeminary. David holds a PhD in Rabbinics and Kabbalah. He has published articles onJewish aesthetics, pluralism, and Talmud. He is founder and Director of The ShiluvProject at Shelter Rock Jewish Center, NY.

DR. JOEL HECKER is Associate Professor of Jewish Mysticism atthe Reconstructionist RabbinicalCollege. He is the author ofMystical Bodies, Mystical Meals:

Eating and Embodiment in Medieval Kabbalah.Joel has taught in a variety of Jewish educa-tional venues including Yeshiva University,the Academy of Jewish Religion, and theJewish Theological Seminary. He is completingan annotated translation of the Book of the Angel Raziel. He is on sabbatical this Spring.

Core Faculty18 | SPRING COURSES

TOBI KAHN is internationally acclaimed as a painter and sculptor. Tobi has taught at the School of Visual Arts since 1985. In addition to having created a chapel, he has had his work shown in over 40 solo museum and gallery exhibitions and is in the permanent collections of the Guggenheim Museum, the Houston Museum of Fine Art, the Jewish Museum, and the Skirball Cultural Center, among others.

FRED ROSENBAUM is the founding Director of Lehrhouse Judaica, the West Coast’s largest school for adult Jewish education. He is the author of three books and numerous articles on modern Jewish history and has taught at the University of San Francisco, San Francisco State University, and Berkeley’s Graduate Theological Union.

DANIEL SEPTIMUS is the Editor-in-Chief of MyJewishLearning.com.He previously served as the Assistant Director of the Skirball Center.He has an MA in creative writing from the University of Manchester.His literature column, “Between the Lines,” appears monthly in TheJerusalem Post.

DR. DAVID KRAEMER is Professor ofTalmud and Rabbinics at the JewishTheological Seminary, where he is alsoSeminary Librarian. As Librarian,David oversees the greatest collection

of Judaica in the Western world. An accomplishedscholar, David has published many books and arti-cles, including The Meanings of Death in RabbinicJudaism, The Mind of the Talmud, and Responses toSuffering in Classical Judaism. His next book is The Gastronomic Jew. He is a Senior Core FacultyScholar at Skirball.

MARCIE LENK is the Berman Fellow atHarvard University and a PhD candidatein the field of Early Christianity andRabbinic Judaism. She has taught atHebrew College’s Me’ah program, the

Drisha Institute, the Pardes Institute, and MidreshetLindenbaum. Marcie has also taught in a variety ofChristian seminaries in Jerusalem, including the EcceHomo Convent and Tantur Ecumenical Institute.Marcie holds BA and MS degrees from YeshivaUniversity and an MTS from Harvard Divinity School.

RABBI LEON A. MORRIS has served asDirector of the Skirball Center for AdultJewish Learning since its inception. Hereceived his ordination from HebrewUnion College in 1997 where he was a

Wexner Graduate Fellow. Leon has worked extensivelyas an educator with the Jewish community of India,and returns there regularly. He co-produced a radiodocumentary on contemporary Jewish life in India,which premiered on Radio Canada in December 2003.For three years, Leon served as Director of New YorkKollel: A Center for Adult Jewish Study at HUC-JIR.

MICHAL NACHMANY is a graduate of theHebrew University of Jerusalem. Michalhas taught modern and liturgical Hebrewfor the past 15 years at synagogues andinstitutions throughout the city.

REUBEN NAMDAR was born andraised in Jerusalem. He completed his BA (Sociology, Philosophy andIranian Studies) and his MA(Anthropology) at the Hebrew

University of Jerusalem. His first book, Haviv (acollection of short stories), was published in 2000and won the Ministry of Culture’s award for BestFirst Publication and the Jerusalem Fiction award.Reuben has also published book reviews and trans-lations of medieval Persian poetry. He is currentlyliving in New York City, working on a novel andteaching Hebrew language and literature.

DR. REGINA STEIN is Director of theHadassah Leadership Academy. Shehas taught for CLAL, the WexnerHeritage Foundation, and theBronfman Youth Fellowship in Israel,

as well as at the Academy for Jewish Religion, theJewish Theological Seminary, Temple University,and the Pardes Institute in Jerusalem. Regina is co-author of Timetables of Jewish History. Sheserves as Academic Coordinator of IYUN.

DAVID WACHTEL is the SeniorResearch Associate for SpecialCollections at the Library of the JewishTheological Seminary. He holdsadvanced degrees in Medieval History

and Jewish Studies from Columbia University. Heserves as the Rabbi for the Nathan I. Nagler BnaiBrith Senior Residence Home and is AdjunctLecturer of History at Queens College of the CityUniversity of New York. He has taught and lecturedin the United States, Israel, and Europe on a varietyof topics in Jewish history and Jewish art, to bothgeneral and academic audiences. His most recentpublication is Image and Impression: Rare Printsfrom the Collection of the Library of the JewishTheological Seminary of America.

Pomegranate, Barbara Freedman, 2005

SKIRBALL 2006 | 19

Support the Skirball Center

ENDOWMENTAnonymousThomas Epstein*Leon Finley* Richard Gilder Josephine C.S. Jordan*Henry Kravis Lionel I. Pincus William Rosenwald* The Skirball Foundation John Vogelstein The Women’s Auxiliary of

Temple Emanu-El In honor of Dr. Ronald B. Sobel

* OF BLESSED MEMORY

ANNUAL SUPPORTContributions made between January 1, 2005 and November 31, 2005

Gifts above $75,000The Skirball Foundation

Gifts between $50,000 and $74,999 UJA–Federation of New York

Gifts between $10,000 and $24,999 Bunny BarbThe Nathan Cummings Foundation

With the support and encouragement of Sonia Simon Cummings

Charles and Carol GrossmanSidney, Milton and Leoma Simon Foundation

Because ideas can transform us.Because Jewish texts belong to each and every one of us.Because we need not take our texts literally in order to take them seriously.

We need your support.Temple Emanu-El provides the in-kind contribution of our facilities and some additional support. However, our primary funding comes from tuition and a designated endowment that cannot cover the cost of our exceptional, unique, and expanding programs.

Join those who have acknowledged our role as an intellectual home to a wide spectrum of curious and searching Jews from every background and perspective,those who are enabling us to fulfill our vital mission.

Gifts between $5,000 and $9,999 Herbert C. BernardEmme Levin Deland in memory of Bill LevinThe Gottesman FundBarbara C. FreedmanSchwarz Family Foundation/Jeffrey and Wendy SchwarzMelanie and Howard SnedcofTargum Shlishi/A Raquel and Aryeh Rubin FoundationZeitz Foundation

Gifts between $1,000 and $4,999 William and Vicki AbramsAnonymousNeil and Juliet Cooper Robert and Janie SchwalbeRobert D. SiegfriedDr. Ronald B. and Joanne Sobel

Gifts between $100 and $999 Lloyd AbramsBarbara Benenson and Marc Warren Bernard and Constance BreslinJeffrey and Ann CaplanJoseph and Sally Cooper Inge N. Dobelis Bettijane Eisenpreis Muriel Simon Goldblatt Frances A. Hess Mark I. KalishSusan Kippur Steve L. KopitkoRabbi Leon A. Morris and Dasee BerkowitzMaxwell and Dorothy MossJane OppenheimJudith Princz Paula Roga Dr. Jill and Michael SalbergMathilda ScheuerManfred SondheimerElise StraussEttie Taichman Jeanne TheodoreMarcia and Robert WaxmanDorothy and Robert Wigod

We also express ourgratitude to the

many other donorswho support our

work by including acontribution with

their tuition.

20 | SPRING COURSES

Discounts (Tuition reductions may not be combined.)

Please indicate which discount, if any, applies.

An individual registering for more than one course: 20% off each additional courseMembers of Temple Emanu-El: 25% off each courseSenior citizens (age 65 and older): 10% off each courseAge 30 and below: 10% off each course

RegistrationIndicate course selection(s) below:

Eight-Week Courses ($215 through Jan. 23; $250 after Jan. 23)The Jewish-Arab Relationship $Reading the Bible as Literature $Sarah, Hagar, and Abraham $Joseph and His Brothers $Rediscovering the Weekly Torah Portion $The Book of Hiddenness $The Jews and the Christians $Jewish History and Jewish Memory $Jewish Questions in Contemporary Art $Creation and Eschatology $Anthropology and the Bible $Jewish Prayer and Piety $Jewish Ethical Questions $Custom and Tradition in Jewish Life $The Art & History of the Passover Haggadah $Hebrew 2: Through the Haggadah $Hebrew 3: Through the Haggadah $

Friends & Lovers ($215 through Jan. 23; $250 after Jan. 23)Course for Engaged Couples $

Beit Midrash ($245 through Jan. 23; $265 after Jan. 23)

Artists’ Beit Midrash $Writers’ Beit Midrash $

CookingPurim ($175) Passover ($130)

Purim Persian Cooking Class $Passover Cooking Class $

Openings ($100)for 30- and 40-somethingsWho Is a Jew? Identity, Biology, & Politics $ N/A

Sunday Seminars ($50 each)France and the Jews, France and the Arabs $The Haggadah: Its Structure and Message $

_____ Total number of courses

Total cost of courses $______Annual registration fee per academic year ($20.00)*

I have enclosed a contribution in the amount of $______

Total amount enclosed $______

* Do not add this fee if it was paid with your Fall 2005 registration.

MASTERS GROUP DESIGN, PHILADELPHIA, PA

YOU MAY REGISTER BY

MailOne East 65th Street

New York, NY 10021

Phone212.507.9580

Fax212.570.0826

Web Siteadultjewishlearning.org

PAYMENT METHOD

Please check off paymentmethod below.

Check Made payable toSkirball Center

Please send to:Skirball Center One East 65th Street New York, NY 10021

Credit Cards:MasterCard VISA American Express

CARD NUMBER

EXPIRATION DATE

SIGNATURE

All registrants, please fill out the informationbelow:

NAME

ADDRESS

PHONE

EMAIL

The Skirball Center reservesthe right to cancel courses for insufficient enrollment.

Limited scholarships are available. Inquire by appointment with Rabbi Morris, 212.507.9580.

Tuition Discount FinalApplied Cost

One East 65th Street • New York, NY 10021

Seven Species (Shivat HaMinim)Created by students in Skirball’sArtists’ Beit Midrash

Spring | 2006

NON-PROFITU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDWARMINSTER, PAPERMIT NO. 225